


meeting the parent

by WattStalf



Series: Medical Malpractice OTP [27]
Category: Durarara!!
Genre: F/M, Family, Father-Son Relationship, Meeting the Parents, i guess?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-09
Updated: 2017-02-09
Packaged: 2018-09-22 19:18:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9621932
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WattStalf/pseuds/WattStalf
Summary: Then again, if anyone is scatterbrained enough to forget to tell his own father that he got remarried, it would be my son! ...wait, did you really? And you didn’t tell me?!





	

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote about Shingen meeting Emilia's parents, but with a few canon mentions of Shingen's father, I couldn't resist writing about whatever weird old man must have raised our beloved Shingen. So, without further ado, I introduce you to Shinya Kishitani, the man behind the man behind the mask.

Perhaps the fact that Shingen waits far past the last possible second to tell his son that he’s getting married- and instead opts to wait until after it’s said and done- is meant to be a sign that he’s not very good at sharing this kind of news. His relationship with Emilia may be very public knowledge at Nebula, but besides that, it is a very private thing. Maybe this is because they live together in America for so long and that feels completely separate from his life in Japan.

Whatever the case, he realizes that he hasn’t told his own father too late, especially considering the fact that he’s met with Emilia’s parents to discuss the marriage. That should have been enough of a reminder, but it slips his mind for far too long. He isn’t even sure what causes him to remember; he just wakes up one day and realizes his father has no idea that he’s remarried. Hell, he doesn’t think his father even knows that he’s back to living in Japan.

When he informs Emilia of this, she’s excited at the prospect of meeting more of his family, though he warns her that his father is an eccentric man. He doesn’t seem to realize that that sounds like an odd warning coming from him, but either way, his wife is not daunted. And so, he calls his father, telling him that he has important news for him and that he’d like to come visit.

“What, did you get married or something?”

Shingen pauses, nearly choking in surprise. “Wh- how did you know about that?”

“So you  _ did _ get married! Ha, it was only a wild guess on my part! Who knew it would turn out to be so lucky?” His father lets out a victorious chuckle. “Then again, if anyone is scatterbrained enough to forget to tell his own father that he got remarried, it would be my son! ...wait, did you really? And you didn’t tell me?!”

Needless to say, it takes Shingen a fair amount of time to get his father to calm down and plan a day for him and Emilia to come and visit.

~X~

“You’re still wearing a gas mask everywhere you go?” is the first thing the man says when he lets them in. “And you’ve even got her in on it? You know, your last wife was never that weak-willed.”

“Emilia isn’t weak-willed!” he snaps.

“I think a mistake is made,” she says with a bright smile. “I have an admiration for the cool, mysterious look Shingen with a gas mask possesses.”

Shinya Kishitani blinks in confusion at her broken Japanese, taking a moment to piece it together. “I never thought I’d live to see the day that someone called my son cool. You didn’t mention that she was a foreigner.”

“I met her while working in America,” Shingen replies. “If it’s not too much trouble, could we speak English with her? She understands Japanese well enough, but her sentences…”

“Whatever you say,” Shinya says in English. “Still, to be called cool for something as lame as that! I’d hoped you’d grow out of that damned mask someday, but here we are.”

“And yet you still wear those damned safety goggles everywhere you go,” Shingen says with a sigh, and his father reaches up, defensively grabbing at his goggles.

“I’m prepared for a chemical spill at any time!”

“You’re retired! And you were never a chemist, you were a surgeon!”

Emilia giggles as the two men bicker back and forth, debating and defending their own choice of peculiar accessories. Finally, Shinya changes the subject, asking Shingen, “So, you met her through work?”

“I did. She works for the same company as me.”

“Well, hopefully it works out better than the one you met through school. I’ll never forget how torn up you were when she divorced you! Kaname, right? Honestly, you were here for days, holed up and miserable, while I had to look after that son of yours!”

“That isn’t what happened and you know it!” Shingen protests. “Besides, don’t bring her up now, that was a long time ago. I’ve forgotten all about her.”

“That’s not what you were saying when you were crying over her. What, is your trophy wife jealous?”

“Trophy wife?!”

“You can’t fool me! I have eyes, son, and the goggles make me see everything a little more clearly! I can tell she’s younger than you, considerably so! Could it be that she’s your son’s age? Younger?! On top of that, just look at her chest! With a body like that, what else could she be?”

Shingen tenses and says, “Would you please be so kind as to not talk about my wife’s body right in front of me? Emilia is not a trophy wife! Well, she’s certainly a prize, but don’t assume that I fell for her because of her age  _ or _ her looks! She’s one of the most intelligent, capable people I know! I love her because of  _ everything _ she is!”

Snickering, Shinya says, “Isn’t it embarrassing to gush about her like that? Especially at your age.”

Emilia can only laugh as they go on like this, not put off by her father-in-law’s behavior at all. He says some things that should be offensive to her, but it’s nothing she wasn’t expecting, and at least he’s upfront about things. After dealing with several of her co-workers talking exclusively behind her back, she’s come to respect anyone who comes out and says what they think. Plus, as much as he and Shingen bicker, she can see the similarities between the two of them, and she can’t help but like anyone who reminds her of Shingen.

“But what I just can’t understand,” says Shinya after a moment, “is what  _ she _ sees in you. She has to be after your money. You’re after his money, aren’t you?”

“Father!”

“Oh, I don’t know about that,” replies Emilia. “I make a lot at Nebula too, so I don’t really need his money!”

“Then what could you have possibly seen in him?” the man asks.

“Didn’t I say so earlier? He’s so cool and mysterious! And he’s smart and funny and has seen so many amazing things!” When Emilia begins gushing like this, even Shinya feels himself growing embarrassed, and can’t bring himself to tease his son as she goes on. “Not to mention the fact that he made me feel so welcome at work, and helped me settle in even though it was hard!”

“You really fell in love with him, huh? Even though he’s a complete oddball?”

“What’s so odd about him?” she asks, seeming genuinely confused.

“You’re a lost cause,” says Shinya with a sad sigh. “Both of you are. It’s bad enough I have a son who wears a gas mask everywhere, now he has a wife who thinks he’s cool for it!”

“Well,  _ clearly _ it works, if she likes it so much,” Shingen grumbles.

“You may have a point there…”

“Ha! So you admit that I’m right!”

“I never said anything of the sort! Son, you’re never going to be normal.”

“That’s rich coming from  _ you _ .”

“You’re never going to be normal,” he repeats, “so you’re lucky you found a hot trophy wife who happens to be as much of a freak as you are.”

“ _ Father! _ ”

Shingen does everything he can to redirect the conversation, not wanting to listen to his father tease him about his marriage or say anything that may come out like an insult toward his wife, even if Emilia doesn’t seem to mind. However, no matter what they talk about, it gets turned around to end in him getting teased mercilessly.

“How is that son of yours doing, anyway? Is he still involved with that, uh... _ you _ know?”

“They’re all but married,” Shingen replies.

“Well, I suppose I can at least applaud you for having a more normal taste in women than little Shinra. Honestly, are all my descendants cursed? Is that what this is?”

“I can’t explain why my son turned out as strange as he did, but if  _ I’m _ strange, then  _ you’re _ the only one to blame!”

“ _ Me _ ?! What did  _ I _ ever do? I provided you with the best education and the most quality upbringing. It isn’t my fault you turned out...the way you did. When you two have a child, I certainly hope they turn out a little bit better.”

“When we...what?!”

Emilia blushes at that, but grins all the while. “We don’t have to keep it a secret, do we?” she asks. “We can tell him that we’re trying.”

“Yes, well,” says Shingen, recovering, “I suppose we  _ can _ be honest about that.”

“Oh, so you’re trying for a child? Are you sure you aren’t too old for something like that?” asks Shinya with a laugh. “Don’t expect me to volunteer to babysit any time soon.”

“I wouldn’t want you ruining my child anyway.”

“Any child raised by me is lucky! You’re the one who went astray somehow,” his father says. “I would like  _ some _ influence, namely...we’re lucky Shinra didn’t end up with the same  _ fixation _ with that mask that you have, but he leaves his eyes mostly unprotected! We absolutely have to make sure my future grandchild understands the benefits of safety goggles!”

“Father, I hope you understand that a gas mask protects the eyes  _ and _ the lungs, as well as the entire face. Superior to the safety goggles in every way.”

“I don’t know who fed you that foolish propaganda, but I won’t hear it in my house!”

~X~

Their visit doesn’t last much longer after that, before Shingen is far too exhausted and ready to go home. He and his father say their goodbyes, with Shinya making him promise not to keep a grandchild hidden away for so long like he did with Emilia. His wife can’t help but notice the way he crosses his fingers behind his back as he says this, and the childish gesture makes it hard for her to stifle a giggle.

“See?I warned you about him, didn’t I? Senile old man...though, really, he’s always been like that, so I can’t actually blame senility.”

“Well, I liked him,” replies Emilia.

“You did?” Shingen is surprised to hear it. “Even after some of the things he said to you?”

“He was funny!” she says. “He’s very direct, very blunt. I’d rather him say it to my face then behind my back!”

“I’m not sure if you’re the best judge of character,” he mumbles.

“Huh? But I married you, didn’t I?” She doesn’t seem to realize that that discredits her completely.

“Then maybe I’m the exception!” Shingen boasts.

“Maybe you are!”


End file.
